Without any hesitation I charged down the hill I had been watching the carnage from. Some beast possessed my mind and a red haze covered my senses with a pure and tangible emotion: rage. This rage possessed me, and all seemed slowed as my body raced forward like an animal’s.
I entered the camp through a growing blaze that had fully encircled the camp-town. Landing hard on the tough dirt, I stopped to gather my senses and ascertain where my target was. I don’t know why I was possessed so, some part of me acted without any of my own intent or logic behind it. But for whatever reason, I didn’t even attempt to fight it, but rather I found ways to encourage and enhance my crusade of contempt against that winged monster.
As I looked for a path, the tents and temporary structures collapsing or catching fire around me to create a maze, a clash like metal against metal clanged to my left. A large behemoth of a tiger-snake hybrid with black scales for skin was pinning a person in robes similar to mine to the ground. The person fought hard to be free of the creature, but the tiger monster’s neck elongated to slither around the person’s weapon. In a single strike it lunged and clamped onto the figure’s neck, killing them almost instantly. Their long metal weapon clanged against the ground and tumbled towards me as the tiger monster tore at the lifeless body. My body burned with fury, undirected and in need of an outlet.
Charging forward I flung towards the tiger monster, as I did I grasped the rod weapon that was flung towards me. I waved it like a club, and before it connected to the unaware monster’s head the body of the staff burst into flame. The flaming rod collided hard against the neck of the distracted monster, and when it did a green flame exploded out of the staff and engulfed the monster’s body.
The surprise was obvious, and the pain seemed severe enough. The creature retreated in confusion and fear, and I ran forward ignoring its yelps. My direction was pointed further in, towards the center, and I pursued my goal to reach the child with whatever haste I could manage. I dashed through crumbling and flaming structure, the sounds of yelling and dying all around me. A man in heavy gleaming bronze armor fell through a building in front of me. I jumped back to avoid being crushed in the momentum, and a pig-man with pale white skin and beady red eyes barreled after the fallen warrior. The warrior got up and charged at the creature, the both of them collapsing further parts of the structure and disappearing from my sight. I ignored the man and his enemy, still following some instinct pointing me towards the center of the camp-town.
As I raced further into the battle, I emerged suddenly onto the outcropping where the clustered tents had held the child. Before me I saw a scene that channeled all my senses to hate and rage. The child’s cries were silent, blood seeping from a deep cut, the youngling had crawled to the still form of the thin figure. The red-skinned monster flapped its wings in triumph again, but then turned its gaze towards me. Curiosity and eagerness obvious, it had found another plaything no doubt, but I intended no such outcome.
The thing babbled at me in a disgusting string of yelps and shouts, smug and confident. I ignored the sounds and assessed the area. The child was several feet away from the creature, but still easily within striking distance of its large form, the outcropping was cramped with structures save for between me and where the child already was. Whatever I planned to do needed to be carefully orchestrated to not harm the barely breathing child. I didn’t have a plan, I never do it seems, but as I tried desperately to find one that could protect the fragile creature the heinous monster spat more guttural words towards me. After a moment of realization, it chuckled I think. Waving a hand in the air and speaking more profane words that almost echoed their meaning into me, “Comprehend”.
Then, suddenly, the sounds of shouting and snarls slowly transformed into yells for help, cries of glee and triumph, and death howls. If I could be surprised, now would be the closest I had come to it, but instead I was simply distracted by the sudden flood of language. The winged monster then spoke plainly, “Despicable creature, you cannot even comprehend the common tongue? Disgusting indeed. You come to save your young? Haha!” the creature laughed, one without joy or amusement. “You cannot stop me, nor save yourself. Face death, for I have come!”
Before I could react, the now-speaking monster flew forward at an incredible speed. I tried to dodge, but the monster’s speed and reactions were too quick. The dreaded thing’s claws tore at my robes and ripped free a large chunk to expose bone. Surprise and confusion clear on the monster’s face, having not killed me, but apparently not noticing my skeletal underneath. I turned with whatever momentum I could harness to slam my metal polearm towards its head while it was distracted. Rage channeled once more, but instead of erupting flame, a blue sheethe of force covered the body of my weapon. Not expecting whatever it felt with its claw, nor anticipating such a quick rebuttal, the winged monster could only pull up a claw in defense. My weapon collided with its claws, sharp black talons coated in still warm blood, and then they shattered.
The monster was sent reeling, raising its wounded hand to its face in horror as one of its claw’s talons crumbled into shards. Yet the victory didn’t come without cost, I could almost feel myself exhaust. As if a great amount of my breath was knocked out of me in exchange for the blow I dealt. The monster refocused to me, staring with more hatred and disgust than I could ever hope to interpret, “Mage filth!” it spat at me. Then it charged again, but instead of leading with a slash it opened its mouth to let loose a gout of purple flame. It took me only moments to realize our positioning, if I didn’t somehow cover the child with my body, it and the still figure on the ground would be covered in the flames as sure as I would be. Still unsure about my motives or my instinct’s reasoning, I instantly jumped to block the flame from impacting the small child. Holding the weapon I took in front of me, like it would block some amount of the oncoming heat, I flung myself to block all the flame. Yet I didn’t sense its heat or singe.
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A shimmering wall of white light blocked the violent flame. As the flame spiraled past me I could feel more of myself being sapped by its protection. As quickly as the flames erupted from the monster’s maw, they dissipated into sparks flitting in the air. When the fog of heat disappeared, and the barrier protecting me diminished, I stood in defiant protection over the two figures slumped on the ground. A spasm of anger so powerful a vein seemed to want to burst on the monster’s head appeared. Its displeasure and rage was beginning to equal what I felt at the thought of the child’s potential harm. The monster bellowed in rage like a common beast, yowling so loud the din of battle paused for a few moments. The monstrous creature stared down at me, as if its look should evaporate me where I stood. Yet I persisted, and that enraged the monster even further. “You damned mage-spawn pest! Do you understand who you rail against? I am the chosen immortal of the unborn god! I, Nefelair, herald of fire and bringer of death! You stand no chance…” The last of Nefelair’s words came out as a growl.
I ignored the taunt, focusing on trying to find some way to maim and kill the creature. Yet there was also some part of me intensely curious about the effects I produced in the heat of combat. My distraction, and lack of a response more likely, infuriated Nefelair further. The creature lunged forward again, and I charged in response with my weapon ready. As we were moments from meeting, my weapon falling down towards Nefelair, the creature twisted in a way that seemed impossible. The monster seemed to spin around my attack, and pirouetted in mid air. As Nefelair’s spin came to a full turn, the monster’s scaled leg fully stretched and kicked me aside with a force that was equally impossible. I flew like I was a stone being tossed by a giant, and hit a wooden hut only to burst through the other side and into the ground with a powerful slam.
My body lay confused, my robes and clothes tattered into almost nothings. My body was bare for any to see, and the wooden hut collapsed just in time for Nefelair to witness a full view of my crumpled state. The monster seemed almost taken aback, approaching slowly as some puzzle worked out in its wicked brain. As Nefelair approached I felt a primal and ancient panic, it fought for superiority with the rage that had taken such a strong hold over my actions. Ideas of escape came and went like lightning strikes as I pulled and struggled to reorient myself. My body seemed weak, like it was falling apart at the seams, I was barely holding on to my structure. I hadn’t realized how difficult it was to keep my bones and body moving until now. Nefelair walked closer, confusion giving way to curiosity which gave way to the previous rage, “One of the undying? A chosen of some fake death? A lich? What are you to assault me, so much lower than I you are… yet so much lower these things should be to you… You enrage me with your rebellion!”
I was beginning to get sick of hearing Nefelair speak. I could barely hold myself together, but I seemed to be able to focus myself to move specific parts without too much issue. I focused on my hands, trying to figure out which held the weapon I had taken, my left held tight to my instrument of rage. I focused all of myself on maintaining my grip, holding up the weapon towards Nefelair. The creature took my blatant act of defiance as some comical joke, bellowing in laughter, “You think you can still resist? You surprised me at first, that was my only mistake. You are already dead, and cannot hold yourself together. Your mage-filth cannot save you from my terror, nor can it save…” turning around, almost coming to a realization and then turning back to face me, “You cannot save the girl. The pathetic child will die. In fact, how about I see her off before I destroy whatever core keeps you alive?” Nefelair bellowed in laughter again, so sure of his victory the monster turned his back and began walking towards the silent and bleeding child. I would not allow it.
Rage built, it returned fully, and this righteous anger commanded a word to come to mind. One that came from the fog of ancient memory and deep thoughts from before. I focused on the thought, and channeled whatever it was into my remaining strength, “Blight”. Then, with the realization of a word, magic built and pulled at what remained of my essence, it wasn’t some instinct driven response, or a natural mechanism activated by my actions, but a focused desire to destroy and maim my enemy.
As the magic gathered to a point, green power sapping what equated to lifeforce from my crumbling body, Nefelair turned once more to face me. Still confident of himself, but noticing the strange energies pulling from my body, Nefelair almost made to brace himself. Then the energy released, the magic pulled to a point, and vanished completely. Nefelair stared, seemingly expecting one last attempt to stop him, but once again becoming confident and beginning to laugh. Yet as his laugh bellowed, dust billowed out of his mouth, his throat caught a cough, and he knelt down to the ground. Clutching at his throat, his reaching arm touched his own skin only to crumble into decay and dark sludge. His left leg gave way next, melding with the scarred earth and breaking free like a rotten log. As Nefelair tried to shout, more dust was pushed out of his mouth, and his remaining limbs began to decay and crumble. His body was slowly succumbing to the blight inflicted upon him, to inflict every pain possible, but it began to slow. The effects slowed as if to prolong his suffering. Then, as his pain became worse, my body became stronger.
I felt my focus and mind returning to me, rage pointing my remaining energy towards the fiendish monster who had threatened innocent life. His pain became my power, as he was wounded I was granted survival and empowered for it. I pulled myself up, at first limping towards him over the rubble and scarred ground. Then I straightened and walked, and finally I strode beside him as his suffering met its peak. Nefelair was a husk, an arrogant husk who played too long with food that decayed and poisoned him. The fiend managed to croak out one final taunt, struggling through the dust and pain with some misplaced sense of superiority, “Mage-filth! Spawn of unliving! You foolish imbecile, I cannot die. I am a chosen of the god unborn, his herald! I am immortal!”
Then I spoke my first words, recalling what I had once heard, “Immortality is a lie.”
I saw the fear set into Nefelair’s eyes as some terrible realization began to form in his mind. Before the blight and decay could consume him completely, I fell upon him and ripped his throat out with my own teeth, devouring him and inflicting one wound to fulfill another. He couldn’t even attempt to scream, his jaw had already turned to dust and his neck was gored by my sharp teeth. As the fiend decayed into nothing, I felt myself become more, I stole his everything so that I may live. I ended his so-called “immortality”.